The present invention relates in general to memory circuits and in particular to improved static random access memory cells.
Random access memory (xe2x80x9cRAMxe2x80x9d) cell densities have increased dramatically with each generation of new designs and have served as one of the principal technology drivers for ultra large scale integration (xe2x80x9cULSIxe2x80x9d) in integrated circuit (xe2x80x9cICxe2x80x9d) manufacturing. The area required for each memory cell in a memory array partially determines the capacity of a memory IC. This area is a function of the number of elements in each memory cell and the size of each of the elements. State-of-the-art memory cells for gigabit memory ICs using dynamic RAM (xe2x80x9cDRAMxe2x80x9d) technology have cell areas approaching six minimum feature dimensions squared, or 6F2, where F represents a minimum feature size for photolithographically-defined features. Static RAM (xe2x80x9cSRAMxe2x80x9d) densities, while increasing less dramatically than densities for DRAM technologies, have nevertheless also increased substantially.
A traditional six-device SRAM cell contains a pair of cross-coupled inverters, forming a latch circuit having two stable states. The minimum memory cell size attainable for this type of SRAM is approximately 120F2, as described in xe2x80x9cCMOS Technology for 1.8V and Beyond,xe2x80x9d by Jack Y. -C. Sun, 1997 Int. Symp. on VLSI Tech., Syst. and Apps., Digest of Tech. Papers, pp. 293-297. Achieving further size reduction requires a new mechanism of memory cell operation.
Tunnel diodes have also been employed to provide negative differential resistance for SRAM cell operation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,145, entitled xe2x80x9cResonance Tunnel Diode Memoryxe2x80x9d, issued to Nakasha et al., describes a memory cell using pairs of GaAs tunnel diodes coupled in series and providing memory cells having an area of about 30F2. xe2x80x9cRTD-HFET Low Standby Power SRAM Gain Cellxe2x80x9d, IEEE El. Dev. Lett., Vol. 19, No. 1 (January 1998), pp. 7-9, by J. P. A. van der Wagt et al. describes successful operation of memory cells using III-V semiconductor resonant tunnel diodes and separate read and write devices. However, GaAs devices are expensive to manufacture.
Base current reversal in bipolar transistors also can permit data storage. Base current reversal occurs when impact ionization occurring at a p-n junction between a base and a collector in the transistor results in minority carrier generation sufficient to cancel or exceed majority carrier injection from an emitter to the base. The base terminal then displays two or more stable states that do not source or sink current, and the transistor may be used to store information as represented by the state of the base terminal. FIG. 1 is a graph showing a simplified current-voltage characteristic for a storage device employing base current reversal, in accordance with the prior art.
As base voltage is increased from zero volts, base current is initially increased also, as shown in a first portion of a current-voltage characteristic 21 (to the left of a point marked xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d). A first stable state, at a point denoted xe2x80x9cA,xe2x80x9d where no current passes through the base terminal corresponds to a base voltage of zero volts. As the base voltage increases, the number of electrons injected into the base and then diffusing into a depleted portion of the collector increases. These electrons are accelerated through the depleted portion of the collector. At the point marked xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d on the first portion 21 of the base-emitter current-voltage characteristic, holes created through impact ionization in the collector region and that are swept into the base begin to outnumber electrons injected from the emitter in forming a base terminal current IB. As base-emitter voltage further increases, the number of holes created by impact ionization also increases (dashed portion of curve 21) until the net base terminal current IB becomes zero at the point marked xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d in FIG. 1, at a base emitter voltage of slightly less than 0.6 volts. This portion 21 of the current-voltage characteristic corresponds to a base current flowing in a direction normally associated with a base current for a NPN bipolar transistor.
A second portion 23 of the current-voltage characteristic corresponds to a base current flowing in the opposite of the direction illustrated in the first portion 21. The second portion 23 corresponds to holes being created by impact ionization at the collector-base junction of the transistor, where the holes collected by the base outnumber electrons emitted from the emitter and collected by the base. The base current becomes increasingly negative until the point marked xe2x80x9cDxe2x80x9d on the curve 23. At the point marked xe2x80x9cD,xe2x80x9d electrons injected into the base from the emitter begin to dominate the base terminal current IB, and the base terminal current IB again becomes very small (dashed trace).
The base terminal current IB again becomes zero at a point marked xe2x80x9cExe2x80x9d in FIG. 1, corresponding to a base-emitter voltage of about 0.9 volts.
As base-emitter voltage is increased even further, a third portion 25 of the current-voltage characteristic corresponds to a base terminal current IB flowing in the same direction as the first portion 21. The base terminal current IB then behaves conventionally with further increases in base emitter voltage.
At the points xe2x80x9cA,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cE,xe2x80x9d the net base terminal current IB is zero. Significantly, the transistor is stable at these points. As a result, opening a switch coupled to the base results in the transistor staying at one of these points and allowing a state of the transistor to be determined by measuring the base-emitter voltage, (i.e., a xe2x80x9creadxe2x80x9d of the data stored in the transistor).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,683, entitled xe2x80x9cSRAM Memory Cell Using A CMOS-Compatible High Gain Gated Lateral BJTxe2x80x9d, issued to M. -J. Chen and T. S. Huang, describes a memory employing base current reversal for data storage. FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic diagram of a generic memory cell 30 formed from a storage device 32 and an access element 34, in accordance with the prior art. The storage device 32 is represented as a NPN bipolar transistor in FIG. 2, however, the storage device 32 may be formed from a structure corresponding to a NMOS FET and may be capable of operating as either an NPN transistor or a NMOS FET, as described in xe2x80x9cHigh-Gain Lateral Bipolar Action in a MOSFET Structurexe2x80x9d by S. Verdonckt-Vandebroek et al., IEEE Trans. El. Dev., Vol. 38, No. 11, Nov. 1991, pp.2487-2496.
The memory cell 30 is read by turning the access element 34 ON through application of a suitable signal to a word line driver 36. A sense amplifier (not shown in FIG. 2) is coupled to the storage device 32 through a bit line 38 and the access element 34.
Data can be written to the storage device 32 by applying a write pulse to a control electrode of a bit line switch 40 and also turning ON the access element 34 as described above. The data bit to be written to the storage device 32 is coupled through the bit line switch 40 to a control electrode of the storage device 32. The access element 34 is then turned OFF, electrically isolating the storage device 32 from the bitline 38 and storing the data bit in the memory cell 30. Compact memory cells 30 drawing as little as 1 nanoampere of standby current can be designed using this approach. However, the memory cell described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,683 requires an area of at least 8F2.
There is therefore a need for a compact and robust memory cell having reduced standby power draw requirements.
In one aspect, the present invention includes a memory cell. The memory cell is formed from semiconductor material and includes a vertical access element formed on a storage device. The storage device has a control electrode, a first current-carrying electrode coupled to a first reference voltage and a second current-carrying electrode coupled to a second reference voltage. The access element has a control electrode coupled to a first selection line, a first current-carrying electrode coupled to the control electrode of the storage device and a second current-carrying electrode coupled to a second selection line. The control electrode of the storage device can be set to one of several predetermined voltages by turning ON the access element and applying a signal to the control electrode of the storage device. Memory cells fabricated by forming the access element on the storage device allow very high density SRAMs to be manufactured.
In another aspect, the present invention includes a method of operating a memory device. The method includes coupling a first voltage to a control electrode of an access element that is part of a memory cell to turn the access element ON. The method also includes sensing a voltage at a control electrode of a storage device that is coupled to a first current-carrying electrode of the access element. The voltage represents data stored in the memory cell. The present invention further permits application of a voltage to the storage device control electrode to set the storage device to one of several stable states to store data in the memory cell. The method also permits coupling a second voltage to the access element control electrode to turn the access element OFF.